Sealing and metering attachment



April 28, 1959 E. P. R. VIEL. SEALING AND METERING ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 8, 1956 United States Patent 1 2,884,023 SEALING AND METERING ATTACHMENT Edmond Pierre Robert Viel, Noumea, New Caledonia Application October 8, 1956, Serial No. 614,564 Claims priority, application France October 17, 1955 2 Claims. (Cl. 141-110) This invention relates to a sealing and metering device and especially to such a device for use with containers for divided or powdered solids.

It is the main object of the invention to provide such a sealing and metering device in the form of an attachment which will be "adaptable over the top opening of a standard container upon removal of the normal sealing means thereof. Another object is to provide improved means for use with containers of granular or pulverulent materials such as food products, chemicals, pharmaceutical compositions, and the like, both for effectively protecting the contents from the atmosphere and for permitting said contents to be conveniently dispensed in metered amounts.

In a chief aspect thereof the invention may comprise in combination, a cover adapted to be fitted over a container opening and a dispensing member (such as a spoonshaped member) removably supported in said cover and projecting therethrough in sealing engagement therewith into the container.

The above and further objects and features of the invention will appear as the disclosure proceeds, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an exemplary form of embodiment thereof, and wherein Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view, taken on line I-I of Fig. 2, of a sealing and metering attachment mounted upon a cylindrical container or box;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawings, reference 1 designates a box or container of cylindrical form, made of any suitable material such as metal, for instance the kind of box used for packing powdered coffee extract. The box or container 1 is formed with a peripheral lip, bead or flange 2 around the top opening thereof, said head being formed by pinching the fixed top wall 3 of the box.

In accordance with the invention a sealing and dispensing assembly is adapted to be fitted over the top opening of the box resulting from removal of the fixed top wall 3 thereof, and said assembly comprises a cover 4 and a shovelor spoon-like dispensing member 5. In the illustrated embodiment the cover 4 may comprise a circular element of molded rubber or equivalent material, having a downwardly extending peripheral flange which terminates in a rounded head 6 adapted to engage the upstanding lip 2 of the box when the assembly is in place, so as to provide a preferably tight seal therewith. The plate 4 and head 6 are so conformed internally that the bead 6 will engage with the outer base portion of the lip 2. The cover plate 4 is formed in its flat portion with an aperture 11 of circular (or other suitable) shape.

The spoon element comprises a frust'o conical handle portion body or midportion 7 of tapered form having its lower portion laterally recessed to a semi-tubular configuration as shown at 8. The top of the body 7 is rounded and unsymmetrical in shape, so as to be readily gripped in the proper service position. The said upper part has a bead-shaped periphery 9 and a central web portion 10 preferably serrated on both sides so that the spoon may be conveniently gripped as between finger and thumb.

In operation, the original cover of the box 1 is removed and the rubber cover plate 4 is fitted in its place, the cover plate being so dimensioned that it is necessary to stretch the peripheral bead 6 thereof with ones fingers before it can be inserted over the lip 2 of the box. The spoon element 5 is then inserted into the hole 11 so that the lower end of the shovel contacts the bottom of box 1. In this position the edge of the hole 11 formed in the cover 4 engages the frusto conical part 7 so as to form a tight seal with it and prevent the ingress of air and foreign materials into the container 1.

To withdraw a metered amount of the contents from the container 1, the container is first tilted in the dime tion indicated by the arrow 12 and the shovel is then gradually pulled out whereupon the shovel 5 will be found to be smoothly and uniformly filled with the divided material, inasmuch as the edges of the hole 11 will not exert any pressure on the shovel portion 8 'after the tapered handle portion 7 thereof has been disengaged from the aperture 11. After the contents of the shovel has been emptied, for instance into another container, the empty dispensing member 5 is reinserted into the aperture 11 and pushed home.

It will be understood that many modifications may be made in the exemplary embodiment illustrated and described without exceeding the scope of the invention. For example, the elastic cover plate 4 might be arranged to be fitted around a lip such as 13 defining the original metallic top of the container rather than around the peripheral lip 2. The components of the attachment of the invention may be made out of any of a variety of materials, including molded or otherwise shaped plastics, wood, ceramics, glass, and various metals and alloys. The cover 4 is not necessarily made of a flexible or elastic material, but may be formed from a rigid substance such as metal and arranged to snap or clamp around the peripheral lip such as 2. If the cover 4 is provided rigid, then desirably the spoon member may be made of a yielding material, for example hard rubber, in which case the aperture 11 would preferably be provided with a rounded bead or lining to improve the seal and prevent damage to the spoon 5. Yet other variations may readily be devised within the scope of the ensuing claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sealing and dispensing attachment for an apertured container, comprising a generally flat disc member having a depending peripheral flange engageable with a surface of said container surrounding the container aperture, said disc member having a hole, and a dispensing member insertable through said hole in sealing engagement therewith and having a shovel-like lower portion projecting into the container, said dispensing member being of downwardly tapered overall configuration, whereby downward pressure exerted on said dispensing member will tightly seal said hole while an upward traction on said dispensing member will permit ready extraction thereof with a metered amount of the contents of said container in said shovel portion, said disc member being composed of an elastically stretchable material.

2. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dispensing member has a downwardly tapered frustoconical body portion, a side recess formed in the lower part of said body portion to provide a semi-tubular shovel-like portion, and a gripping knob on the upper end of said body portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 678,056 Stadlinger July 9, 1901 1,289,446 Griffiths Dec. 31, 1918 2,095,204 Samstag Oct. 5, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 971,659 France Jan. 19, 1951 

